Season 22: Episode 10 - Working Our Barrels Off

After a miscalculation at the airport and a Double U-Turn, friends Mona & Beth and Joey & Meghan were forced to battle each other in Scotland, while Max & Katie won their second leg in a row.

HOTEL HELP Departing the Pit Stop in first place at 2:02am, newlyweds Max & Katie ripped open their clue instructing them to fly across the North Sea to Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland. When they landed, they had to pick up a Ford Fiesta and drive themselves to Gosford House. The clue also stated that there would be a U-Turn somewhere during the leg. Running into the business center of a nearby hotel, the newlyweds used a computer to identify and book seats on a flight landing in Edinburgh at 10:40am. While the newlyweds took their time and took advantage of the hotel’s resources, the remaining teams went directly to the airport where counters were closed until 5:00am. Wanting to accomplish some research, YouTube hosts Joey & Meghan looked on the departures board and saw a Lufthansa flight that landed in Scotland at 1:00pm. When Max & Katie finally arrived at the airport at 4:35am, they kept quiet about the early flight they found while other teams began to congregate at the Lufthansa counter as it opened.

HAPPY DANCE At 5:00am, the Lufthansa counter opened, and all teams waited in line, including Max & Katie who faked needing tickets so they wouldn’t raise suspicions. First, Joey & Meghan stepped up to the counter and booked seats on a flight landing at 1pm. Although they arrived last, roller derby moms noticed a first class desk open with no customers so they walked up and also got seats on the 1pm flight. While the remaining teams waited their turn, they reconfirmed their alliance and planned on using their U-Turns to target the YouTube hosts and roller derby moms. However, this plan hit a snag when Caroline & Jennifer and Bates & Anthony were told that the 1pm flight was sold out. The next available Lufthansa flight landed in Edinburgh at 4pm. Keeping the mood light, Caroline joked to the roller derby moms and YouTube hosts, “Get excited with yourselves. Just go have a little happy dance. You know you’re so excited.” Indeed, the two teams did do a happy dance after walking away from the counter now having a three-hour lead on the others. They marveled, “Think of what we could do. We can U-Turn them.” The roller derby moms and YouTube hosts didn’t know about Max & Katie’s flight landing at 10:40am so at best the two teams would land second in Scotland.

TURNING TABLES Faced with landing hours later than everyone else, Bates & Anthony and Caroline & Jennifer separately searched for better options. Both teams stumbled upon the same 10:40am flight as Max & Katie. An incredulous Caroline asked, “How did we find this?” Relieved at now holding a ticket for an earlier flight, Anthony joked, “So now who are we U-Turning?” When the two teams walked onto the plane, they were surprised to see Max & Katie who were secretly disappointed that other teams got onto the early flight with them. Caroline joked, “The sexy six is together forever.” Landing in Edinburgh at 10:40am, Max & Katie, Bates & Anthony, and Caroline & Jennifer ran out of the airport and counted five Ford Fiestas, telling them that there were two teams behind. Max & Katie and Bates & Anthony drove quickly and confidently on the expressway already thinking about the U-Turn plan, but Caroline & Jennifer got off to a slower start. Driving at a snail’s pace but revving the engine, Caroline couldn’t figure out why she couldn’t accelerate. Then, when Jennifer tried to offer solutions, Caroline realized she had the parking brake on. Releasing the brake, she said, “That’s key when you’re driving stick.”

MAKING MUSIC Arriving at the stately Gosford House, Max & Katie ran to its steps and were greeted by a group of men playing the bagpipes. They ripped open their clue to find a Roadblock. In it, one team member had the opportunity to play with the Royal Scots, the royal regiment of Scotland. Working with an instructor, they had to learn how to play a harmonizing note on the bagpipe while marching around the marble room of Gosford House. After putting on a kilt, Max walked with an instructor into a practice room where he began instruction on how to play the bagpipe. Right off the bat, Max learned that the key to success wasn’t about blowing as hard as possible but rather applying a steady pressure to the inflated bag he held snugly under his arm. As long as he blew hard enough to keep the bag properly filled, Max knew he could produce a constant tone. Not wanting to spend any more time practicing, Max walked into the marble performance hall and joined a small parade of bagpipers in a march around the upper floor of the room. As he circled the hall in his kilt, he performed using the hints he learned, later saying, “It was more figuring out how to manage the pressure versus the wind.” When he completed the full lap, Max received his clue and opened it with Katie instructing the newlyweds to search the fireplaces at Craig Millar Castle for their next clue.

BLOWING THE LEAD With Bates finishing the Roadblock right behind Max to setup a heated race for first place, Caroline started her bagpipe tutorial. Having a musical background, Jennifer felt Caroline would sail through the task with few problems, but that wasn’t the case. Halfway through her first attempt, Caroline had to stop when she ran out of air, telling Jennifer, “My mouth is starting to really hurt. My lips are getting so dry.” After her sixth failed attempt, Caroline began to cry as she told Jennifer, “My mouth isn’t working now. I hate this.” Jennifer felt that Caroline needed to calm down and not try so hard when she took her next attempt. On her seventh try, Caroline finally made it all the way around the marble room holding a note on the bagpipe. She collapsed with relief and happiness when the judge approved her performance. Now crying tears of joy, Caroline hugged her instructor, Jim, who helped her through the difficult ordeal. Running out of Gosford House, Caroline told Jennifer, “I’m just really sorry I blew that lead.”

FIRST TO WORST Landing in Edinburgh at 1pm, roller derby moms Mona & Beth and YouTube hosts Joey & Meghan, thinking they were in first place, were shocked when they only saw two cars in the airport parking lot. Beth asked, “So that means maybe somebody got on a better flight?” An incredulous Meghan wondered, “How did that happen?” Even though the two teams had been friends and allies for nearly the whole Race, Beth said, “We’re in this to win it.” For their part, Joey & Meghan were disappointed by the prospect of going head-to-head against their friends, calling the roller derby moms a “support system” and “Race family.”

DETOUR DECISION Arriving at Craig Millar castle in first place, hockey brothers Bates & Anthony began looking through the seemingly endless number of stone fireplaces throughout the sprawling castle until they looked up the chimney of one and spotted their clue. Opening it, the hockey brothers found a Detour having the choice of Tasty Puddin’ or Whisky Rollin’. Tasty Puddin’ required teams to fill an ox’s intestine with assorted internal organs, seasonings, and oats to make Scotland’s national dish – haggis. Once each team member properly prepared four portions, they would get a taste of haggis and their next clue. Whisky Rollin’ required teams to deliver eight whiskey barrels 200 yards up a cobblestone alleyway to a festival.

FIGHTING FOR LAST As Bates & Anthony drove off to roll whiskey barrels and Max & Katie chose to make haggis, Mona & Beth and Joey & Meghan arrived at Gosford House together. After putting on kilts, Mona and Meghan started practicing the bagpipe in separate rooms. While Mona quickly picked up the technique, Meghan, a trumpet player for four years, had difficulties keeping her bag inflated to make a sound. Knowing they still had a Speed Bump ahead of them, Mona looked for any lead she could get over Meghan and walked into the performance hall ahead of her. After a quick stumble right at the beginning before starting to parade, Mona gathered her thoughts and told herself, “Make steady pressure.” On her second try, Mona marched around the marble hall as she belted out a tune from her bagpipe, never losing the tone. When she completed her lap, Mona jumped up and down in excitement as Beth proclaimed, “That was the most beautiful song I ever heard.” Now in last place, Meghan continued to struggle as she squawked and squeaked in the practice room trying to make a more pleasant sound from her deflated bagpipe. When her instructor told her she needed more air in her bagpipe, a worried Meghan said, “I don’t know if I can do this. I’m not meant to be a bagpiper.” With her mouth muscles now exhausted, Meghan decided to go out to the marble performance room and hope for a miracle. Using all the power she had to inflate her bagpipe, Meghan initially strained and grimaced to play a note, but soon she began marching with the group still producing a pleasant tone. When she completed her full lap, she and Joey both cheered.

ROLL OUT THE BARREL Arriving in Duddingston Village in first place, hockey brothers Bates & Anthony ran to the corner of Old Church Lane and found an area filled with large barrels. Faced with a steep cobblestone alleyway ahead, the brothers initially thought rolling the barrels would be the easiest way, but after one try, they felt the technique was “awkward” because the barrels wouldn’t move in a straight line. On the second hill that led to the festival, the brothers decided to hoist the barrels on their shoulders and use brute force to deliver the cargo. Finding that carrying the heavy barrels was easier than rolling, Anthony guessed, “I don’t think anybody else can do this challenge.” When the brothers reached the festival filled with music, dancers, and whiskey, they set down the barrels as Bates later joked that he and Anthony “worked their barrels off.”

MAKING HAGGIS As Bates & Anthony continued to deliver the whiskey, newlyweds Max & Katie arrived in Duddingston Village and walked into Sheep Heid Inn. After putting on white coats, Max & Katie intently watched a demonstration as a chef filled a slimy, wet intestine with a round clump of mixed meat parts. Max later remarked that while the meat smelled good, he could “smell the sheep’s last meal” coming from the intestine. Getting down to business, the newlyweds rolled up their sleeves and began the challenge while 18th Century poet, Robert Burns, recited his famous poem, Address to a Haggis. Listening to Burns, Max later commented, “I guess the guy really likes haggis.”

ACCORDING TO PLAN After delivering eight whiskey barrels to the festival, hockey brothers Bates & Anthony ripped open their clue instructing them to find Duddingston Kirk. Running on foot, the hockey brothers reached Duddingston Kirk and found the Double U-Turn. Sticking with their alliance’s agreed upon plan, Bates & Anthony U-Turned YouTube hosts Joey & Meghan before ripping open their next clue instructing them to make their way to Edinburgh’s Old Town and find Niddry Street South – the Pit Stop. Once Max & Katie each made four portions of haggis, the newlyweds took a taste and gave rave reviews before running off to Duddingston Kirk. At the Double U-Turn, Max & Katie also stuck with the plan and U-Turned roller derby moms Mona & Beth. In the car, Katie predicted that the roller derby moms and YouTube Hosts would have to “duke it out” and hoped that Joey & Meghan would be eliminated. Max added, “I’m not shedding any tears.” Driving into Edinburgh’s Old Town, Bates & Anthony became confused as they tried to identify where to park in the crowded city. After leading for most of the leg, this moment of indecision and uncertainty was the opening Max & Katie needed. The newlyweds found parking, ran to Niddry Street South, and turned into the cobblestone alleyway where Phil stood with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Winning their second leg in a row, the newlyweds pocketed $10,000 each while Anthony & Bates settled for second place.

SKITTLES As Caroline & Jennifer made haggis for a third place finish, roller derby moms Mona & Beth arrived at Craig Millar castle to find the Speed Bump, a task that only they had to perform for coming in last place in the previous leg. In it, they had to play skittles, a Scottish version of ten-pin bowling that used balls without holes. Once they got a strike, they could continue racing and try to catch up. While Joey & Meghan got lost searching for Craig Millar castle, Mona & Beth drove to Sheep Heid Inn and started playing skittles. The roller derby moms found it difficult not only to adjust to balls without holes, but they also had to reset their own pins in the lane when they didn’t roll a strike, making the task take even longer. After a series of gutter balls and near strikes, Beth took a local’s advice to aim the ball more to the left to account for the slope of the lane. Finally, she hit a strike on her and Mona’s 16th attempt.

FRIENDS FACE OFF Mona & Beth returned to Craig Millar Castle just as the very lost Joey & Meghan finally found it as well. After both teams discovered clues hidden in the fireplaces within moments of each other, the two teams separately decided to make haggis. Because Mona & Beth had already been to Sheep Heid Inn for their Speed Bump, they knew the way and Joey & Meghan simply followed them. This put the pressure on Beth who said, “We can’t shake them. We just have to do the Detour better than them.” At Sheep Heid Inn, Mona & Beth hustled inside ahead of Joey & Meghan and tried to get any lead they could on the YouTube hosts. Using her at home meatball-making skills, Beth rolled the meat and stuffed her intestine with great speed and urgency while Mona did the same. The competitive roller derby moms appeared to move at a faster pace than Joey & Meghan, who weren’t very comfortable cooking in the kitchen. With Meghan barely stuffing one serving of haggis, Mona & Beth finished tying their last servings and presented their dish for approval. After getting a taste of haggis that Beth called “awful”, Mona & Beth ran out of the inn as Joey & Meghan continued the challenge. Knowing they were in last, Joey said, “I’m praying that we’re not U-Turned.”

BRUTAL U-TURN After seeing they had been U-Turned by Max & Katie at Duddingston Kirk, Mona & Beth kept their game faces on and barely reacted before beginning the grueling task of delivering barrels. As the roller derby moms pushed their first two barrels up the cobblestone alley, Beth said, “This is brutal!” When Mona & Beth rolled their barrels past the Sheep Heid Inn on the way to the festival, a nervous Joey & Meghan spotted the moms through the window and knew that the moms had been U-Turned. After fixing air bubbles in their haggis, Joey & Meghan reached Duddingston Kirk and groaned when they saw that they had been U-Turned by Bates & Anthony. A glum Meghan said, “So we’re fighting for last right now.” While Mona & Beth had some problems with the heavy barrels, Meghan really struggled to move one by herself. To make the task go faster, Joey & Meghan decided to team up and roll each barrel together instead of struggling separately. However, this tactic didn’t help the YouTube hosts gain ground on the determined Mona & Beth.

AN ALLIANCE ENDS As Joey & Meghan slowly continued to deliver barrels, Mona & Beth jumped into their car and panicked at the thought of getting lost finding Niddry Street South. After asking a local for directions, the roller derby moms realized they had been driving the wrong way. With Joey & Meghan now done delivering barrels and headed into Old Town Edinburgh, Mona & Beth nearly lost it when they missed a green light. A worried Mona noted, “They definitely could’ve caught us by now.” In the end, the YouTube hosts didn’t catch them. A relieved Mona & Beth hugged each other when they stepped on the mat in fourth place. Running to the mat in last place, YouTube hosts Joey & Meghan received the bad news that they had been eliminated from the Race. Getting teary, Joey said, “I’m so proud of us. We made it a lot further than I thought we were going to. I’ve grown so much with this Race. It’s been an incredible experience.”

2210 ROUTE MARKERS Roadblock: A Roadblock is a task that only one person can perform. In this Roadblock, that person had the opportunity to play with the Royal Scots, the royal regiment of Scotland. Working with an instructor, they had to learn how to play a harmonizing note on the bagpipe while marching around the marble room of Gosford House. Performed Roadblock: Max, Bates, Caroline, Mona, Meghan Detour: A Detour is a choice between two tasks. In this Detour, teams had the choice of Tasty Puddin’ or Whisky Rollin’. Tasty Puddin’ required teams to fill an ox’s intestine with assorted internal organs, seasonings, and oats to make Scotland’s national dish – haggis. Once each team member properly prepared four portions they would get a taste of haggis and their next clue. Whisky Rollin’ required teams to deliver eight whiskey barrels 200 yards up a cobblestone alleyway to a festival. Tasty Puddin’: Max/Katie, Caroline/Jennifer, Mona/Beth, Joey/Meghan Whiskey Rollin’: Bates/Anthony, Mona/Beth, Joey/Meghan Double U-Turn: A Double U-Turn allows two teams to slow down two other teams by forcing them to perform the other side of the Detour. Bates/Anthony U-Turned Joey/Meghan. Max/Katie U-Turned Mona/Beth. Speed Bump: A Speed Bump is a task that only Mona & Beth had to perform for coming in last place in the previous leg. In it, they had to play skittles, a Scottish version of ten-pin bowling that used balls with no holes. Once they got a strike, they could continue racing and try to catch up.

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